Reversing mechanism for electrically-driven washing-machines.



F. BALZER.

REVERSlNG MECHANISM FOR ELECIRICALLY DRIVEN WASHING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED NOV-311913.

1,151,991. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

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F; BALZER. REVEBSING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN WASHING MACHINES.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV.8. 1913. 1,151,991. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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REVERSING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, l9l3. 1,151,991.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W/Qeqseq': 1/14/0172 Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

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FRITZ BALZER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSlQNOR TO TROY LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, LIMITED, 6F GHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

REVERSING MECHANISIM FOR ELECTBIGALLY-DRIVEN WASHING-MACHINES.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

Application filed November 8, 1913. Serial No. 799,945.

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRITZ BALZER, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing chines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to auto- 'matic reversing mechanism for machines comprising rotating parts, and more particularly to mechanism for periodically reversing the cylinders of electrically driven washing machines.

In the operation of cylinder washing ma chines it is desirable that the direction of rotation of the cylinders should be reversed at frequent intervals in order to agitate the articles and expose all portions of them to the action of the suds, thereby thoroughly cleansing the articles.

The primary object of my invention is to provide electrically driven cylinder washing machines with electrically actuated mechanism for automatically reversing the current through the electric motors, which rotate the cylinders, at predetermined. intervals.

A further object of my invention is to provide a plurality of electrically driven cylinder washing machines which may be independently driven'and individually put into and out of operation, but'which will be periodically reversed by a single electrically actuated mechanism for reversing the current to the motor of each machine 'at predetermined intervals.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a plurality of machines, eachcomprising an independently controlled electrically driven member, with a common electrically actuated mechanism, for periodically reversing the current to the motors of the several machine s.

My invention will, bemore fully disclosed hereinafter with reference to the 'accompany-- ing drawings, in which the same is embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which' a Figure 1 illustrates, somewhat diagrammatically, two cylinder washing machines equipped with my improved reversing mech- "\am'sm; Fig. 2 a diagrammatic view of the electrically actuated mechanism for driving the cylinders of the machines and for reversmg the current through the driving motors; Fig. 3 a plan view of the motor and commutator driven thereby for controlling the reversing switch to periodically reverse the current to the motors; Fig. 4 a side elevational view looking upwardly with respect to F 1g. 3; Fig. 5 a perspective view of one end of a cylinder washing machine on which is located a switch for controlling the operation of the driving motor thereof; and Fig. 6 a developed View of the conducting plates on the commutator drum.

Similar reference characters are used to designate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Reference characters A and A designate the stationary tanks of cylinder washing machines inwhich are inclosed rotating cyllnders B and B for containing the articles to be washed.

1) and D designate gear wheels for rotating the cylinders which mesh with similar gear wheels d and (Z respectively, which in turn mesh with pinions e and 6 which are rotated by electric motors E and E Inasmuch as the specific construction of the washing machine does not in itself constitute my invention, it is unnecessary to describe the construction and operation thereof in detail. It will further be understood that while I have illustrated my improved reversing mechanism as applied to two cylinder washing machines, yet it may be applled to any number of such machines, or in fact to a plurality of any machines comprising rotating members, the direction of rotation of which it is desired to periodically reverse.

Reference character F designates a commutator which is secured to a shaft 9 journaled in bearings g, g mounted upon a f. The worm wheel H is fixed upon the p shaft 9 and meshes with a worm K carried by the shaft is of an electric motor L, to which the current is supplied by leads Z, Z The motor L may e conveniently mounted upon the support G. A bracket M projects from the support G and carries a plurality of commutator brushes m, m m m*, m, and m which respectively contact with the conducting strips f, 7, f f, f and f on the commutator drum F. The leads n, n n n h, n are electrically con nected with the respective commutator brushesp N and N indicate reversing switches, the current to which iscontrolled by the commutator F and which in turn control the current to the motors E, E respectively, so as to periodically reverse the current through the motors and thereby reverse the direction of rotation of the washing machine cylinders. A switch is located on each machine .at a point convenient for the operator, such switch serving to make or break the circuit leading to the reversing switch of that particular machine, and thereby controlling the operation of each machine independently of the operation of the other machines. In Fig. 2 reference characters 0 and O designate I such. switches, which are located on the machines A,-A in any convenient manner, as for instance, in the position shown in Fig. 5, and which will hereinafter be more fully described in detail.

The electrical wiring and reversing switches may be sufliciently described in connection withthe explanation of the operation of the invention. The commutator drum F is rotated at a predetermined speed by means of the motor L through the'mechanism of the meshed worm K and worm wheel H. The rotation of the commutator drum electrically connects the lead n, alternately with the leads n -and n by reason of the alternate engagement of the brushes m and m with conductor strips f and f and the continuous engagement of the brush m with the conductor strip f. During the connection of the lead at with the lead 12 a circuit is closed through the switch 0 to the lead 0 which is connected with the line P. The lead n extends through the then closed cut-out switch 11, of the reversing switch N and then through the winding of the solenoid S, to the lead 0 which is connected with the line P. This circuit energizes the solenoid S, which attracts its armature T and thereby operates the switches connected therewith so as to close a circuit through the motor by connecting the lead 0 with the lead 7), and the lead 79 with the lead 0 lVhen the commutator closes the circuit through the leads a and a, a circuit is closed through the then closed cut-out switch U through the winding of the solenoid s, thence through the lead 0 and line P The circuit is completed from the line P, through the lead, n, switch 0 and lead 0. This circuit actuates the reversing switch so as to connect the lead 0 with the lead 31, and the lead 0 with the lead 79 thereby reversing the direction of the current through the motor E from that which exists when the commutator connects leads 91., 72?. A similar operation of the reversing switch 'N is effected by means of the commutator alternately connecting the lead a with the leads n and 97., through the alternate engagement of the brushes m and m with the staggered conductor strips f and f", while the brush m4 remains continually in contact 'with the strip f. When the leads n and n are connected a circuit is completed through the then closed cut-out switch u, through the winding of the solenoid S to the lead 0 and then the line P the connection remaining the same from the lead a through the switch 0, to the lead 0 and line P. The solenoid S then attracts the armature T and moves the contacts connected therewith so as to close a circuit through the motor E by connecting the lead 0 with the lead 72*, and the lead 79 with the lead 0 to the line P. The direction of the rotation of the motor E is consequently reversed from that which is imparted to it when the leads n, n are electrically connected.

P designates a line from,. which leads 7) and (7 extend to the motors E and E, respectively, the latter lead being also extended to the motor L, which is also connected by a lead'l with the line P lVhile the switch for independently controlling the operation of each machine may be of any suitable construction and located at any convenient point, yet it is preferably arranged as shown in Fig. 5. In this figure is illustrated hand operated mechanism for rotating the cylinder B to such a position that its door I) will register with the door a of the inclosing tank A, in case suchdoors are out of registry when the motor circuit is interrupted. A worm W is mounted on a shaft W, which is journaled in a bracket Y provided with a portion Y in sliding engagement with a guide Z fixed to the end of the tank A. A guard y .is carried by the bracket Y. A cam V is located within an opening in the guide Y and is provided with a handle o for oscillating the sameto thereby raise and lower the bracket Y and.

with it thecworm W into and out of mesh with the gear. wheel D. When the worm 15 in mesh with the gear wheel the guard y overlies the switch 0 and prevents its operation to close the motor circuit, thereby preventing injury to the hand operated mecha' nism through the accidential starting of the motor While it is in operative position.

strip 7.

Should the worm be lowered into mesh with the gear wheel before interrupting the motor circuit, the guard y engages the switch 0 and moves the same to position to inter rupt the motor circuit. I

It will be observed that the arrangement of the conducting strips on the commutator drum is such that the circuits to the reversing switches are changed in fixed sequence and that during a slight interval between the changing of thecurrent to each reversing switch, there is a neutral position in which no circuit is closed to the reversing switch. This is accomplished byreason of the fact that the conductor strips f and f which are alternately connected with the continuous strip f by the commutator brushes, are spaced apart axially with respect to the commutator so'thatwhen the commutator brush on? passes from the conductor strip f a slight interval will elapse before the commutator brush m passes on to the conductor The same is true with respect to the conductor strips 7 and f. The interval thereby provided between each of the circuits to the reversing switches permits a slight neutral interval between the changes in the directions of rotation of the motors.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have invented improved re versing mechanism for automatically re: versing the current throughthe motor, which drives the rotating member of the machine. It will be further observed by my invention a plurality of machines may be periodically reversed by common electrically actuated re versing mechanism, while each machine may be independently'put into and out of operation by the attendant.

I claim:

1. The combination with a, machine comprising a rotating member, of an electric motor for driving said member, a switch for reversing the current through said motor, a commutator for controlling the operation of said switch, an electric motor running at a predetermined speed for actuating said commutator, and a manually operative switch located at the machine for controlling the motor circuit to operate or discontinue the operation of the machine.

2.- The combination with a plurality of machines each comprising a rotary member, of a separate electric motor for driving the rotary member of each machine, means for individually controlling the operation of each machine, a switch for reversing the current through the motor of each machine, a commutator for controlling the operation of said switch, and an electric motor running at a predetermined speed for actuating said commutator.

3. The combination with a plurality of machines each comprising a rotary member, of a separate electric motor for driving the rotary member of each machine, reversing switch mechanism for independently reversing the current to the motor of each ma- I chine, a commutator controlling the operation of said reversing switch mechanism, and an electric motor running at a predetermined speed for actuating said commutator.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name;

FRITZ BALZER.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. WILKINSON, HENRY A. PARKS. 

